Tuesday, January 26, 2010

January 26, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

JOE JONAS IS NOT DATING HILARY DUFF:

Photographers got a picture of what LOOKED like JOE JONAS leaving HILARY DUFF'S house. But it turns out there's no story here. --Joe says, quote, "My parents are her next door neighbors. I was leaving my parents garage, [photographers] must have been waiting for Hilary Duff. Their garages are right next to each other. --"So as I'm walking out, they take a picture of me, saying I'm leaving Hilary Duff's house. Nick was like 'I'm going to ruin this rumor for you' and I was like 'No, no let it ride for a while.'" --Joe is a little more evasive when talking about the future of the JONAS BROTHERS, though. Asked about the group's future, he says, quote, "I think that's undecided. --"I know a tour is in the works, and we're planning one right now. So we'll have one probably by the end of summer or something. --"We didn't have this year totally mapped out like the past few years, because we wanted to have a little break time to figure it all out. I think we will do a tour, for sure, as the Jonas Brothers, but then we'll see from there."

KRISTEN STEWART SAYS KISSING DAKOTA FANNING WAS NO BIG DEAL:

KRISTEN STEWART and DAKOTA FANNING share a girl-girl kiss in their upcoming movie, "The Runaways". But Kristen says neither one of them saw it as a big deal. --She says, quote, "It's just something we did. In this story, it's so not like a romantic thing. It's just something that they just do. --"We had so many other really crazy things that we were intimidated by, like, we had a performance that day. So when that came up on the schedule we were like, 'Whoa!' But then, 'Alright, whatever.' It was sort of just like another thing."

NICK LACHEY AND VANESSA MINNILLO CAN'T AFFORD THE WEDDING THEY WANT:

The "National Enquirer" says that NICK LACHEY and VANESSA MINNILLO are finally ready to make The Big Mistake. Unfortunately, they can't afford the pricey wedding they want. --It seems that Nick has all his money tied up in a new album he's working on. As for Vanessa, she quit working for MTV to launch a movie career . . . which hasn't really materialized yet. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "He wants to give Vanessa . . . a beautiful wedding. But it's as if neither of them has the money to pay for an extravaganza."

#1.) We may have proof that BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE are staying together . . . but we're going to have to wait a little over a month for it. --A so-called "source" says they're in the process of picking out their Oscar duds, and they will indeed be attending the show together on March 7th.

NANCY KERRIGAN'S BROTHER MAY HAVE KILLED THEIR FATHER:

The father of former Olympic figure skater NANCY KERRIGAN died Sunday. And Nancy's brother apparently had something to do with it. --Police in Stoneham, Massachusetts rushed to the Kerrigan household early Sunday morning, after receiving a call about an unresponsive man. That man was Nancy's father, 70-year-old Daniel Kerrigan. --When police arrived they learned there had been some kind of dispute between Daniel and his 45-year-old son Mark . . . who also lives at the house. And they found blood in the kitchen. --Police said, quote, "Mark stated that he wanted to use the phone and his father would not let him. He struggled with his father and put his hands around his father's neck and his father fell to the floor." --But Mark told police he believed his father was FAKING IT. --They ended up arresting Mark on a charge of assault and battery on an elder person resulting in serious bodily injury. But he didn't go quietly. Mark was belligerent and possibly intoxicated, and he had to be subdued with PEPPER SPRAY. --After being booked, he was transferred to a hospital for treatment of an undisclosed medical problem. --Daniel's wife Brenda . . . a.k.a. the mother of Nancy and Mark Kerrigan . . . says her son did nothing wrong. She claims her husband simply died of a heart attack. --Police have yet to reveal the cause of death. -Mark pleaded not guilty to the charge, and his lawyer says he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, resulting from his time in the Army. (--There's no word where he served.) --Mark had been living in his parents' basement after serving some jail time on assault and battery charges. --Nancy has yet to comment . . . but her former nemesis, TONYA HARDING, has. --Tonya's rep issued a statement saying, quote, "Tonya feels very sad for Nancy and her family and extends her deepest sympathy and condolences to them. Tonya's beloved dad, Al Harding, passed away this past April, so she understands the grief Nancy and her family are feeling at this difficult time."

PERNELL ROBERTS . . . A.K.A. "TRAPPER JOHN M.D." . . . HAS DIED:

PERNELL ROBERTS . . . who starred in the "M*A*S*H" spin-off, "Trapper John M.D." . . . died Sunday at his home in Malibu, following a battle with cancer. He was 81. --Roberts first made a name for himself as Adam, the eldest of the Cartwright brothers, on the TV series "Bonanza". --But Roberts was only on the show for its first six seasons . . . from 1959 to 1965. Then he left due to a dispute with the producers. (--"Bonanza" lasted 14 seasons in all.) --Roberts did mostly TV guest appearances until 1979, when he landed "Trapper John M.D." . . . in which he played the character made famous by WAYNE ROGERS on the "M*A*S*H" TV series. --"Trapper" ran until 1986. (--Roberts' last appearance was on a 2001 episode of "Diagnosis: Murder".)

GARY COLEMAN WAS NOT ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

To set the record straight, GARY COLEMAN was NOT arrested on a domestic violence charge over the weekend. -Police say they were called to Gary's Utah home Sunday for some kind of, quote, "civil disturbance" . . . but while they were there, they realized that there was a warrant out for Gary for failure to appear at a court hearing. --So they took him in on that warrant . . . but NOT for whatever they'd originally been called to his house for. (--We still don't know what happened on Sunday, but since no charges were filed, we assume it was a minor incident.) --Gary's attorney says, quote, "This is a lot less serious than it seems. He was not arrested for assault." --Serious or not, Gary ended up spending the night behind bars. He didn't post his $1,725 bail until yesterday afternoon at about 4:43 P.M. --After leaving jail in a WHEELCHAIR yesterday, Gary said the reason he missed the court date in question was because he was havingHEART SURGERY.

MEL GIBSON GIVES TIGER WOODS MORE LOVE:

Not surprisingly, MEL GIBSON is one of those celebrities who's come forward to offer public support to TIGER WOODS. --Yesterday on "Good Morning America", he gave Tiger even MORE love. --He said, quote, "I feel bad for the guy, I mean, they're beating the hell out of him. So, you know, I love the guy. He's full of flaws, like all the rest of us. And he's getting a rough time." --He added, quote, "Ask any human being walking on the planet, 'Have you ever done anything that you're not proud of?' And I think most people will say, 'Yes. I've done a few things I'm not too proud of.'" (--Here's video . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=baaadf7c-6a4b-4fe0-8993-f30758c49656 --Meanwhile, in an interview with "Hello!" magazine, Mel discussed his own public relations nightmare . . . his DRUNKEN, ANTI-SEMITIC RANT from 2006. --He said, quote, "It's said that I went into a rant, but I think it went on for about five words. I was drunk. It just turned into a big thing. I apologized profusely . . . not once but three times. --"So what's the problem? It's four years ago. Do I need to apologize again?"

BROOKE MUELLER MAY NEED TIME AWAY FROM CHARLIE SHEEN TO GET BETTER:

BROOKE MUELLER continues to recover from pneumonia in both lungs and a nasty infection. But her doctors don't think she's recovering quickly enough. --They're prescribing a course of action that might include TIME AWAY FROM CHARLIE SHEEN. (???) --A so-called "source" says, quote, "The doctors basically said Brooke is not going to get better without taking her health in her own hands and reducing the stress surrounding her life. She has to do it now. --"Her mom is checking out spas around the country. She wants Brooke to get away from Charlie, away from L.A., and away from all of the stresses that are hurting her immune system."

CHECK OUT THESE HILARIOUS MARY-KATE OLSEN PARODY VIDEOS:

This is random . . . but it's HI-larious. Some chick is lampooning MARY-KATE OLSEN in a web series called "Very Mary-Kate". It's a lot better than this type of thing usually is. (--Check it out here . . .) http://verymarykate.com/ RANDOM NOTES ON HAITI AND HOLLYWOOD:

#1.) The "Hope for Haiti Now" benefit album will debut at #1 on the "Billboard" album chart that comes out tomorrow. -Even though it didn't even go on sale until after Friday night's telethon, it sold close to 150,000 downloads over the next two days. (--Chart data is calculated until Sunday each week.)

#2.) MILEY CYRUS, MARIAH CAREY and JON BON JOVI have reportedly joined SIMON COWELL'S charity single . . . which will be a cover of the REM classic "Everybody Hurts". --ROD STEWART, LEONA LEWIS, MICHAEL BUBLE and the incredibly sexy SUSAN BOYLE are also on board.

#3.) RADIOHEAD played a gig Sunday night at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood to raise money for earthquake relief. They ended up raising more than $572,000 from ticket sales and donations. (--The audience included Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, Flea, Drew Barrymore and Anna Paquin.)

#4.) JENNIFER ANISTON has forked over $500,000 for the cause. (--She also participated in Friday night's telethon.)

AMERICA'S FAVORITE TV PERSONALITIES:

Last month, the market research company Harris Interactive conducted their annual online survey to determine America's Favorite TV Personality. --They polled 2,276 adults between December 7th and December 14th, and yesterday they released the results. This year, OPRAH WINFREY came out on top, followed by Fox News inciter GLENN BECK.--Here's the Top 10:#1.) OPRAH WINFREY. She was #4 last year.#2.) GLENN BECK. He's new to the Top 10 this year.#3.) JAY LENO. Last year he was #1. This year's survey was conducted BEFORE the late-night mess at NBC, so you have to wonder how that would have affected Leno's numbers.#4.) ELLEN DEGENERES tied with HUGH LAURIE of "House". Last year she was #3, and he was #2. #6.) JON STEWART. Same as last year.#7.) CHARLIE SHEEN. Also, same as last year.#8.) MARK HARMON from "NCIS". Last year he was tied for #9.#9.) DAVID LETTERMAN. Last year he was #5.#10.) BILL O'REILLY. Also new to the Top 10.--Two people fell out of the Top 10 this year. Last year, STEVE CARELL was #8 . . . and STEPHEN COLBERT was tied for #9 with Mark Harmon. --Among men, Jay Leno ranked as the Favorite TV Personality . . . while women went with Oprah Winfrey. Oprah was also #1 with Democrats, while both Republicans and Independents were more likely to choose Glenn Beck. --Political parties aside, "conservatives" also went with Beck. "Moderates" went with Oprah . . . and not surprisingly, those crazy "liberals" were all about Jon Stewart. --People 64 and older chose Beck. Oprah took two age demographics: 33 to 44, and 45 to 63. And CONAN O'BRIEN . . . who didn't make the Top 10 . . . was #1 among people between 18 and 32. (--Again, this survey was done PRIOR to NBC's late-night blow-up.) (--For an even broader breakdown of the poll, hit up this link . . .)http://news.harrisinteractive.com/profiles/investor/ResLibraryView.asp?BzID=1963&ResLibraryID=35632&Category=1777

DID "AMERICAN IDOL" BOOT ONE OF THEIR TOP 24 SINGERS . . . BECAUSE HIS DAD LEAKED THAT INFO TO A NEWSPAPER???

(--The story below is unconfirmed. However, it purportedly contains "Idol" spoilers, which not everyone may want to know. Just lettin' you know.) As you may know, "American Idol" recently filmed the Hollywood Week episodes, which whittled this year's contestants down to the Top 24. And as usual, websites are already leaking the identities of the alleged finalists. But those are UNOFFICIAL. --Well, one of those sites, JoesPlaceBlog.com, claims that there was a change in the Top 24 over the weekend. Supposedly, "Idol" producers booted a finalist named Michael "Big Mike" Lynche, because his father "confirmed" it to a newspaper. --Obviously, that's a no-no . . . and likely violated a confidentiality agreement. --Big Mike auditioned in Orlando, but wasn't shown on last Wednesday's episode. AmericanIdol.com does have a video interview with him online . . . where, among other things, he talks about how he collects deodorant. (???) (--Watch it, here . . .) http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_9/golden_ticket_interviews/michael_lynche/ --Here are a few more notes about this . . . "Idol's" first SCANDAL of the season!!! --Interestingly enough, Big Mike's MOTHER is a columnist for the "St. Petersburg Times" . . . the same paper that his dad supposedly blabbed to. --The "Times" doesn't have a quote from Big Mike's dad. It merely says that he confirmed existing rumors . . . from these spoiler sites . . . that his son had cracked the Top 24. (--You can find the article here . . .) http://blogs.tampabay.com/media/2010/01/american-idol-rumor-st-pete-native-michael-lynch-is-among-the-shows-top-24-semifinalists.html--In 2004, Big Mike's brother, Marque Lynche Jr., made the semi-finals on Season Three, but he was unable to make the Final 12. (--Here's a video of him . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b96JOqXhaE--And for what it's worth, JoesPlaceBlog claims that Big Mike was, quote, "THE favorite in Hollywood this year." The site says a dude named Antwan Michael replaced him. (--If you want to check for spoiler updates, here's the link . . .)http://www.joesplaceblog.com/

WOULD MTV REPLACE THE CAST OF "JERSEY SHORE"???

Representatives for two members of the "Jersey Shore" cast say that contract negotiations with MTV are going, quote, "smoothly" . . . and are denying a rumor that MTV has threatened to replace anyone who holds out for more money. --Earlier yesterday, "sources" told TMZ that the cast was playing hardball, and attempting to negotiate as a group . . . in order to squeeze more money out of MTV. --But MTV told them that their last offer . . . of $10,000 per episode each, plus a $10,000 signing bonus . . . was their FINAL offer. And they had until last night to agree to the terms. Anyone who agreed could stay. Anyone who didn't was GONE. (--The entire cast is contractually obligated to do a second season, so MTV doesn't have to give them a raise at all. But in situations like this, when a show becomes a runaway hit, the network usually does something to reward the cast.) --DJ PAULY D'S manager says the cast is in negotiations with the network, but that he isn't aware of any deadline. --And SNOOKI'S manager says that the cast has, quote, "worked closely with each other throughout this," but he's unaware of a, quote, "all for one, one for all" situation. (--As IRREPLACEABLE as the cast of "Jersey Shore" seems . . . in TMZ's story, sources say that MTV already has replacements lined up if needed.)

#1.) The New Orleans Saints' 31-28 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night drew an average of 54 MILLION VIEWERS. (--That's a pretty impressive audience, even for an NFL playoff game. For comparison, last Sunday night's game . . . between the New York Jets and the San Diego Chargers . . . attracted "just" 18 million viewers.) (--In fairness, last week's Sunday night game went up against the Golden Globes, and this week's game didn't have that kind of competition.)

--"Little Ashes" - "Twilight" stud Robert Pattinson plays Salvador Dali and Javier Beltran plays his gay lover.--"Surrogates" - A futuristic sci-fi thriller about people using remote-controlled robot bodies so they never have to leave the safety of their homes. Bruce Willis plays an FBI agent investigating the first murder in years, and Ving Rhames plays the main suspect.--"Whip It" - starring "Juno's" Ellen Page as a petite chick who joins a roller derby league. It's directed by Drew Barrymore, who's also one of her teammates. "SNL's" Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Eve, Jimmy Fallon and "City Slickers" geek Daniel Stern are also in it.--"Michael Jackson: This Is It" - behind-the-scenes footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his sold-out London concerts that never happened. It was filmed from April until his death on June 25th, and was directed by "High School Musical's" Kenny Ortega.--"St. Trinian's: School for (Bad) Girls" - students come up with a scheme to raise some fast cash to save their school. Rupert Everett appears IN DRAG as the head mistress. The cast also includes Mischa Barton, "The Sarah Connor Chronicle's" Lena Headey and Russell Brand.--"Tennessee" - Mariah Carey's new movie is about two brothers hitchhiking their way back to Tennessee to find their father, because one of them is dying from leukemia. She plays a waitress who gives them a lift while trying to escape her abusive husband.

NEW MUSIC OUT TODAY--"The Sea", Corinne Bailey Rae (--This is her second album.)--"The Greatest Love Songs of All Time", Barry Manilow--"Essential Love Songs", Dean Martin (--Quite possibly the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your grandparents. I mean, how can you go wrong with "That's Amore"???)--"Now That's What I Call Love", Various Artists . . . including music by Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, Colbie Caillat, 3 Doors Down, Hoobastank, Taylor Swift, Norah Jones, David Cook, Jordin Sparks, Hinder, Daughtry, Nickelback, and Maroon 5.--"Kidz Bop 17", Kidz Bop Kids . . . including annoying kid covers of "Party in the USA", "Use Somebody", "Fireflies", "Shine On", and "Already Gone". BLINK-182'S ALBUM WON'T COME OUT UNTIL NEXT YEAR: If you were hoping that BLINK-182 would release their comeback album this year . . . there's bad news. It doesn't sound like that will be happening. --In an interview with "Billboard", guitarist TOM DELONGE said that the band was talking with Interscope Records about releasing their new album NEXT year. (--No details . . . like a title or specific release date . . . have been announced.)

THE WHO IS PERFORMING A "MASH-UP" AT THE SUPER BOWL:

PETE TOWNSHEND says that THE WHO will be performing a, quote, "compact medley" during their halftime performance at the Super Bowl on February 7th. --He tells "Billboard", quote, "We're kinda doing a mash-up of stuff. A bit of 'Baba O'Riley', a bit of 'Pinball Wizard', a bit of the close of 'Tommy', a bit of 'Who Are You', and a bit of 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. --"It works . . . it's quite a saga. A lot of the stuff that we do has that kind of celebratory vibe about it . . . we've always tried to make music that allows the audience to go a bit wild if they want to. Hopefully it will hit the spot." (--The game, which will go down in Miami, will be between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.)

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

15% OF WOMEN SAY THEIR MAN HAS SABOTAGED THEIR BIRTH CONTROL TO "TRICK" THEM INTO GETTING PREGNANT:

Whether he admits it or not, the average single guy is a little concerned that one of the women he hooks up with might "trick" him into getting her pregnant . . . because then he'll be trapped for life. --But it turns out guys are just as guilty when it comes to shadiness in the baby-making department. Listen to this . . .--A new study from the University of California at Davis has found that ONE in FIVE women has experienced some form of "pregnancy coercion," which is when a guy uses threats or deception to try and get his girl pregnant. --And 15% of women say they've been victims of birth control sabotage, which is when a guy pokes holes in condoms or destroys contraceptives in some other way. --Overall, 53% of women say they've experienced physical or sexual violence in a relationship. And of those women, 35% say the guy tried to coerce them into getting pregnant, or sabotaged their birth control in order to "trap" them. --A woman named Elizabeth Miller led the study. She says, quote, "This study highlights an under-recognized phenomenon where male partners actively attempt to promote pregnancy against the will of their female partners. --"Not only is reproductive coercion associated with violence from male partners, but when women report experiencing both reproductive coercion and partner violence, the risk for unintended pregnancy increases significantly." (EurekAlert)

A MAILMAN GOT $3,000 FROM THE PEOPLE ON HIS ROUTE TO VISIT HIS FAMILY IN HAITI . . . BUT THE POST OFFICE WON'T LET HIM ACCEPT IT:

A few years ago, Pierre Laguerre came to the United States from Haiti, and now he works as a mail carrier in New Hope, Pennsylvania (--about 40 miles northeast of Philadelphia). --Like many Haitian natives, Pierre lost several family members in the earthquake earlier this month, including his younger brother and his uncle. And his mother is hanging on by a thread. --Anyway, Pierre wanted to visit his family members back in Haiti, and bring them medical supplies and other stuff . . . but he couldn't afford it. So the people on his mail route all got together and collected $3,000 to cover Pierre's travel expenses. --The only problem is Pierre can't accept it. --That's because the U.S. Postal Service has a policy banning its carriers from accepting cash gifts. And according to the city Postmaster, it doesn't even matter that Pierre didn't ask for the money . . . he's still not allowed to accept it. --Now, some of the people on Pierre's route have taken his case to local leaders to try and get an exception. It's not clear whether it's going to work. (WPVI News 6 - Philadelphia)

THERE'S A DATING WEBSITE THAT USES YOUR DNA TO FIND YOU A MATCH:

A few years ago, a study in Switzerland found that we're attracted to people with immune system genes that are very different from our own. In other words, we're more sexually attracted to people with very different DNA. --Anyway, after hearing about the study, a guy named Eric Holzle decided to start a new dating website called ScientificMatch.com, which pairs up daters using their DNA. --All you have to do is send in a cotton swab containing DNA from the inside of your cheek. And after analyzing the sample, Scientific Match will set you up with a list of potential dates with whom you're most genetically compatible. --There are just two catches:#1.) Eric refuses to say how many users the website has . . . which probably means there aren't that many. #2.) And in order to use the service you have to buy a lifetime membership to Scientific Match, which costs $2,000. (!!!)(--You can link to the website here . . .) http://scientificmatch.com/ (Washington Post)

GOING NAKED COULD BE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH:

If you're always looking for an excuse to get NAKED, then it's my pleasure to inform you that walking around in the nude could be good for your health. Don't believe it? Listen to this . . . --Michael Merzenich is a neuroscientist at the University of California at San Francisco, and he's a firm believer in the health benefits of nudity.

Here's why.

#1.) Research has shown that spending a little bit of "naked time" every day helps aid the brain development of infants. The idea is that the unhampered range of motion helps their brains make new connections, and it's thought the same would hold true for adults.

#2.) Walking around barefoot has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer's. Basically, the extra stimulation causes your brain to develop more neuron connections, and it also helps improve the brain's balance, posture and coordination functions.

#3.) Speaking of extra stimulation, massage has been proven to be useful in the treatment of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. In a nutshell, rubbing the skin improves blood flow and helps to rid toxins from the lymph system. --So theoretically, going nude would create a similar type of skin stimulation, which should create the same sort of health benefits.

#4.) Public nudity has been shown to reduce stress, reduce curiosity about the human body, ease porno addiction, and help create a more "wholesome" attitude about the opposite sex. Nudists have also been shown to have higher rates of body self-acceptance.

#5.) Clothes are a breeding ground for disgusting fungi and bacteria, which can cause yeast infections and urinary tract infections. And wearing underwear that's too tight can reduce a man's swimmer count and fertility. --Plus, nudists receive an extra dose of Vitamin D from the sun, which helps them build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. (H-Plus Magazine)

ONE IN TEN GUYS USE THEIR GIRLFRIEND'S BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

This survey took place in the UK, and we're really not sure if the results would be similar here. But we'd be interested in finding out. --According to a recent survey, ONE in TEN guys admit they sometimes use their girlfriend's beauty products, including facial cream, deodorant, makeup like foundation and concealer . . . and nail polish. And ONE in FIVE admits he sometimes uses women's lip gloss. --But more than ONE in THREE say they keep it a secret from their lady. (StyleList)

HERE ARE FOUR DIET TIPS TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT:

As an American, it's practically your patriotic duty to become an obese, self-centered loud-mouth. But if you'd rather be a self-centered loud-mouth of average size, here are four diet tips to help you shed those extra pounds:

#1.) Start walking: The American Heart Association recommends you take 10,000 steps every day. That's like walking three miles a day. Or 1,095 miles a year. --But while the average European walks about 237 miles a year, the average American walks just 87 miles a year. That's about 8% of how much you should be walking.

#2.) Eat slower: For most Americans, eating a meal involves stuffing their face with as much food as possible, as quickly as possible. But studies have shown that eating slowly can help you feel full quicker, which will prevent overeating.

#3.) Eat-in more: The average American eats more than half their meals at restaurants, while residents of the healthiest countries in the world eat out only on special occasions.

#4.) Be careful with tropical fruits: If you're trying to lose weight, eating more fruit is a good place to start. But watch out for tropical fruits like pineapple and coconut because they have the highest fat and sugar content of all fruits. (That's Fit)

THE U.S. IS ENDING ITS BAN ON HAGGIS:

I have exciting news to report this morning. The long wait is over . . . the United States is lifting its ban on HAGGIS. --If you're not familiar with haggis, it's a traditional Scottish dish, made with the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep, mixed with onions, oatmeal and fat . . . and then cooked inside a sheep stomach for a few hours. It's basically a big, round, nasty Scottish sausage. --If you HAVE heard of haggis, it's probably only because MIKE MYERS always made fun of it on "Saturday Night Live", or in the movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer". --Anyway, haggis from Scotland has been banned in the U.S. for the last 21 years because of mad cow disease. Basically, the sheep organs were considered too risky, because they might carry something called scrapie, which is a variant of mad cow disease. --And now that the risk is gone, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning to re-draft its haggis regulations. (AOL / Sphere)

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW CARS GET THEIR NAMES?

Recently, "U.S. News & World Report" ran an article about how automakers name their car models. I wouldn't exactly say it was thrilling, but there was some stuff I didn't know. Check it out:#1.) The reason some carmakers use a combination of letters and numbers to name their cars is so you'll think of the brand as a whole, instead of just one specific model. --By that logic, the Audi A4 should make you think more broadly about the Audi brand than if it was called, say, the Audi "Racer."#2.) Animal names are a go-to for carmakers because they generally make a car sound fast, powerful and unique . . . like the Ford Mustang or the Chevy Impala. --But it doesn't always work . . . just ask Volkswagen. They've named cars after the Beetle, the Rabbit and the "Tiguan," which is a combination of the words tiger and iguana. (--I would have preferred the "Iguiger.") (???)#3.) Car models don't always have the same name from one country to the next. Why? Because certain car names just don't translate that well. --For example, last year General Motors introduced the Buick LaCrosse to Canada. Then they found out "LaCrosse" is French Canadian slang for tugging on your trouser snake. --And in most other parts of the world, the Mitsubishi Montero is called the Mitsubishi Pajero. The reason it's called the Montero here is because in Spanish, it's slang for a man who chronically "LaCrosses" his genitals. (Yahoo Autos)

A MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECT WITH THE OAKLAND A'S IS QUITTING BASEBALL TO BECOME A PRIEST:

23-year-old Grant Desme is a minor league outfielder in the Oakland A's organization. It's thought he had a real shot at making the big leagues. But now we'll never know. --That's because on Friday, Grant announced he's quitting baseball to become a priest. According to a statement, quote, "I'm doing well in baseball. But I had to get down to the bottom of things, to what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life. --Baseball is a good thing, but that felt selfish of me when I felt that God was calling me more. It took awhile to trust that and open up to it and aim full steam toward him . . . I love the game, but I'm going to aspire to higher things." (Yahoo Sports)

NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) These high school students told their basketball coach that if he made a blindfolded shot from half court, he'd win tickets to the NCAA championship. They planned on pranking him by pretending the shot went in . . . but then it did. (--He shoots it at 1:01.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3heqhwoqVTE(Search Terms: Joel Branstrom amazing basketball shot Olathe Kansas)

--They were trying to recreate this "Half Million Dollar Shot" prank that CollegeHumor.com pulled last year.http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1902812(Search Terms: "Half Million Dollar Shot" CollegeHumor.com)

#2.) ESPN analyst DIGGER PHELPS showed off some ridiculous dance moves during a routine with a member of the Clemson dance team. (--The music starts at :25.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc9073pxyzk(Search Terms: Digger Phelps dancing Clemson official HD)

#3.) This house cat attacks a bear when it tries to steal a trash bag from the front porch. (--The cat darts into frame at :19.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pgNxgIxazU(Search Terms: "Bear vs Cat" CollegeHumor.com)

Most people want to lose weight so they can LOOK better. But dropping a few pounds can do a lot more than that. Here are ten ways losing ten pounds can change your life . . .

#1.) IT REDUCES YOUR RISK FOR DIABETES. Losing ten pounds makes you HALF as likely to develop type-2 diabetes.#2.) IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART. For every one percent of body weight you drop, your chance of developing heart disease decreases by 1 to 2 percent.#3.) IT CUTS YOUR RISK OF CANCER. Excess body fat is strongly linked to breast cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, gallbladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer. And the list is getting longer. --According to some studies, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, and certain types of leukemia are also linked to obesity.#4.) IT IMPROVES YOUR SEX LIFE. In a recent survey, 20 percent of people who were obese reported problems with their sex drive, or said they had difficulty performing in bed. That's compared to just 5 percent of other people.#5.) IT STRENGTHENS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. In a study at Boston University, researchers infected mice with the bacteria that causes gum disease. And the fat mice were 40 percent more likely to have tooth decay.#6.) IT PREVENTS ARTHRITIS. According to a recent study at Wake Forest University, losing one pound of weight actually translates into a FOUR-POUND reduction in the weight your knees have to lift every time you take a step. --So if you lose TEN pounds, that's a total of 48,000 pounds per mile that your knees don't have to lift.#7.) IT GIVES YOU MORE ENERGY. Ten pounds might not sound like that much, but lugging that extra weight around all day is exhausting for your body. And studies have proven that regular exercise gives your energy level a natural boost.#8.) IT MAKES YOU MORE CONFIDENT. You'll look better, but that's not the only reason. Losing weight isn't easy, so it's something you can feel good about and be proud of.#9.) IT HELPS YOU SLEEP. Losing ten pounds can significantly improve your back pain. And obesity is one of the leading causes of sleep apnea.#10.) IT COULD ADD YEARS TO YOUR LIFE. One-third of Americans are either moderately obese or severely obese. And an Oxford University study released last year found that moderate obesity reduces your life expectancy by about three years. --Severe obesity reduces it by 10 years. (Yahoo.com)